4:01 AM
by IRiSEaGLes
Summary: Written for The Houses Competition. April 1st has a big meaning to the twins - it is their birthday but also the perfect day for pranks


'Twas the night before April 1st, and two young men sit up in their childhood bedroom in the dim light of a lone candle doing what they do best - scheming. "Is it set?"

"Of course it is."

"Even at school?"

"Yes, brother, it is. It took a little work explaining everything to those young Hufflepuffs, but you know me."

"Good. Mum won't know what hit her. And when it hits school, there is no way she can blame either of us."

"I only wish I could see greasy-haired Snape's face when it hits the school. He will have a fit."

"I bet that it everyone will be expecting something at midnight. It was a brilliant idea of yours for having everything go off at 4:01 am brother."

"Well I am the brains between us."

"That means I got the looks."

The twins settle down, as much as they can the night before their birthday. Both of them will have dreams of how this April Fools will be the best they have ever planned. Their plan is ready for action. It will hit not just their house, but their former school, the main thoroughfare of the Wizarding World, and their father's workplace - the Ministry of Magic.

Since the Dark Lord has taken over so much of the wizarding world, these two Weasley brothers have taken it on themselves to not only create a little havoc, but also enjoy their birthday to the fullest. Really it is a present to themselves as much as it is a present to their world in general.

Some may not see it as such, but those people have a wand stuck up their arse most of the time anyways.

That is how April 1st, 1998 went down in the history books.

There was a tsunami of greenish slimy swamp water that flowed through all the pipes of the school, creating a stench and slime filled dungeons trapping the Slytherins in their common room courtesy of the handful of third year Hufflepuffs and a couple of Gryffindor prefects that actually knew how to operate the indoor swamp.

There was a number of gas bombs that bursted out around the Ministry, causing a mass scale evacuation. This was the shocker - it originated from a handful of Order of the Phoenix members that still kept their credentials with the Ministry through the takeover. Now what happened in the Department of Mysteries was not planned - no one expected an outbreak of boggarts that flooded the ministry and took residence in the Minister for Magic's office to be the result of the gas bomb that was left at the door containing them. At least, that is the story that Kingsley Shacklebolt will tell until his dying day.

At home there was a gnome invasion - complete with rose thorn covered pitchfork like objects - just before the birthday celebration was to begin. Molly Weasley sent the birthday boys out there to deal with the madness these little creatures created, but instead the two bribed them to help with the decorating of the garden for the party later that night. Nothing like gnomes swinging around all Tarzan-like to make a party a Weasley Twin Birthday Party.

Diagon Alley, where their store Weasley's Wizard Wheezes stood, still tall and colorful on the street that now had more destroyed and boarded up business than open ones, the proprietors decided that a 'good morning wake up' was in order: fireworks, sirens, and streamers all bursting forth from the top of their shop. It is April Fool's day after all.

The twins, Fred and George Weasley, only know one real way to have fun - pranks. For their birthday, their present to the whole of Wizarding Britain, was the biggest single handed prank war ever. There was so much tension as the real war was coming to a head, the twins decided to have their fellow witches and wizards have one day - their birthday - to have fun.

They had prepared to open the store for a midnight celebration with loud boisterous music, flashing lights, and a general party atmosphere; but the Ministry officials shut that idea down. It 'would create too much of a ruckus', and the Weasley family was not looked upon highly in these dark times. After the war was over and Harry beat Voldemort, they planned an ever bigger celebration, knowing that the Ministry would let them get away with it - or at least turn a blind eye.

For this year though, they challenged everyone they knew, enlisting their sister and her friends at their former school, their father and his close comrades who still worked at the Ministry, and their own mischievous minds, to create a three pronged 'prank war' this year. They knew the gnomes would take it on themselves to get their own home, causing a plausible deniability for the twins.

When they woke, just shy of 4 am, they readied themselves for the biggest and best birthday ever.

"It is weird, Fred, this year ya' know." George props himself on his right arm, looking over at his twin lying on the bed next to him.

"Without Ronniekins you mean?" The other tries to hide the smile that is forming from poking his other half.

"Yeah, and Ginny is still at school."

"At least we know where she is, George."

"Are you worried about our little brother? I didn't take you for the sentimental type."

"Nah, more concerned about who he's with."

"Still hung up on your brother's best friend. I wonder how Ginny will feel when she hears she has competition."

"Shut it George!" The flush on Fred's cheeks merges perfectly with his red hair, creating a large tomato-like head on the twin. After a pregnant pause he continued, "Do you think they know? Know what day it is?"

"With Hermione there, of course they will. She never forgets anything. She probably has presents for us too, knowing her. If it was just Ronniekins and Harry, they probably couldn't find the loo between the two of them."

They both laugh, maybe for one of the last times, knowing that the war is looming around the corner and their younger brother and his friends - those who are meant to save their world - are out there by themselves hopefully surviving.

Today is not the day to think of that. Today is the day for pranks, for fun, for their birthday.

Author's Notes:

House: Slytherin  
Year: 5

Additional

Prompt: April Fool's Day

Word Count: 1067


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